Inside Job

National decline is typically blamed on special interests from the demand side of politics corrupting a country''s institutions. The usual demand-side suspects include crony capitalists consumer activists economic elites and labor unions. Less attention is given to government insiders on the supply side of politics - rulers elected officials bureaucrats and public employees. In autocracies and democracies government insiders have the motive means and opportunity to co-opt political power for their benefit and at the expense of national well-being. Many storied empires have succumbed to such inside jobs. Today they imperil countries as different as China and the United States. Democracy - government by the people - does not ensure government for the people. Understanding how government insiders use their power to subvert the public interest - and how these negative consequences can be mitigated - is the topic of this book by Mark A. Zupan.